E.T Feature - Top 10 Custody Battles

Top 10 custody battles Halle Berry vs. Gabriel Aubry In the wake of Halle Berry’s announcement that she has dropped filming commitments for upcoming rom-com New Years Eve (she will be replaced by Katherine Heigl) in order to fight her baby daddy, model Gabriel Aubry for custody for daughter Nahla (2), we take a look at the ten most contentious celebrity custody battles…

Mel Gibson vs. Oksana Grigorieva The battle: After leaving his wife of 26 years and their seven children, Gibson shacked up with Russian artist/musician Oksana Grigorieva and had daughter Lucia (1). However, leaked tapes painted Gibson as emotionally abusive, and Grigorieva placed a restraining order to keep him away from her and Lucia in 2010 and filed for sole custody. Gibson responded by launching his own restraining order against Grogorieva, whilst both have blasted each other openly in the press.

The verdict: As of December 2010, Gibson and Grigorieva are sharing joint custody of baby Lucia whilst The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched a domestic violence investigation against Gibson. No word on whether Lucia has applied to Brangelina for full custody just yet.

Britney Spears vs. Kevin Federline The battle: After her well-publized meltdown in 2007, which involved shaving her head, physically fighting the paparazzi and growing fears for the safety and well-being of her children, Spaears lost custody of her sons Sean Preston (5) and Jayden James (4) to her ex-husband, back-up dancer Kevin Federline.

Verdict: After years of bad press that included accusations of drug and alcohol abuse, Spears was placed under the conservatorship of her father in 2008. She currently has visitation rights to her children.

Charlie Sheen vs. Denise Richards The battle: Before Charlie Sheen was more well-known for partying with hookers and allegedly snorting briefcases of cocaine, he had two daughters (Sam in 2004 and Lola in 2005) with then-wife, actress Denise Richards. After the divorce, Richards filed an order that Sheen not be alone with the children amidst accusations of ‘addictions to porn, gambling, prostitutes and prescription drugs.’ In a counter-attack, Sheen blasted Richards for ‘using’ their daughters on her reality show and asked for a public boycott of the program.

Verdict: Amid growing concern for Sheen’s lifestyle, Richards eventually gained full custody in early 2010.

Larry Birkhead vs. Howard K. Stern The battle: In perhaps one of the most bizarre custody battles of recent times, the Muary Povich-style ‘who is the father’ saga caught the attention of the media after the death of famous personality Anna Nicole-Smith in 2007. Although Stern’s name was on the birth certificate, many men, including Smith’s most recent partner Howard K. Stern, Mark Hatten and Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt all claimed paternity, with the case eventually requiring DNA testing in 2007.

Verdict: Whilst baby Danielynn (now 4) was originally given Stern’s surname, freelance entertainment reporter/photographer Larry Birkhead was found to be the biological father and it was subsequently changed, although he is currently being fought by Smith’s mother Virgie Arthur for custody of Dannielynn.

Paul McCartney vs. Heather Mills The battle: One of the most tumultuous and expensive divorces in recent history involved public slinging matches between Ms. Mills and the media, most notably accusations that she had previously worked as a high-class call-girl after soft-core pictures surfaced of Lady Macca, whilst she retailiated with allegations of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of McCartney and applied for full custody of daughter Beatrice, (7). All were denied by both parties and no sufficient evidence was found for any claims.

The verdict: Joint custody was awarded in 2008, as well as a 50 million pound settlement for Mills, as well as ongoing child support. The poor thing.

Alec Baldwin vs. Kim Basinger The battle: After well-documented animosity between the former couple which involved claims of being ‘mentally unstable’ (her) and ‘emotionally abusive’ (him) both filed for sole custody of daughter Ireland (15). After a shared custody verdict, Baldwin temporarily lost his visitation rights when a recording was released to the media of Baldwin calling his daughter a “thoughtless little pig.” Baldwin stated that the release of the tape was a violation of the gag order that he and Basinger have to talk about their custody arrangements with the media. Basinger denied releasing the tape.

The verdict: Baldwin apologized and was able to restore his visitation rights to his daughter.

Kim Gosselin vs. Jon Gosselin The battle: The pair, famous for their reality TV show ‘Jon and Kate plus 8,’which featured the couple’s day-to-day life raising their eight children, announced their separation in 2009. Whilst Kate appeared on Dancing With The Stars, Jon filed for sole custody, stating that Kate had become an “absentee mother” due to her dedication to the

television program, and also asked for an end to the $22,000 in child support he was required to pay each month. Kate fought against the allegations stating that her primary role was ‘as a mother first” and questions were raised about Jon’s parenting due to his open relationships with other women so soon after the divorce and lack of employment.

The verdict: For a family that have lived the lives in the spotlight, the Gosselins have been surprisingly low-keen about the custody agreement that was reached for their eight children in July 2010, only that it was settled.

Christie Brinkley vs. Peter Cook The battle: the former supermodel’s third marriage came to an end in 2006 amid allegations her architect husband had an affair and was addicted to internet porn. Her daughter from her previous marriage to musician Billy Joel also testified that Cook had been verbally abusive, which Cook denied. Brinkley fought for sole custody of children Sailor (10) and son Jack (15, who was legally adopted by Cook) in the 2008 trial.

The verdict: The one place where the truth does not get you anywhere. After Cook admitted to spending thousands on porn and his mistress, Brinkley was awarded full custody of their children.

Woody Allen vs. Mia Farrow The battle: The relationship that even took Hollywood by surprise. Allen began a lengthily custody battle with ex-partner Mia Farrow after taking up a relationship with Farrow’s adopted daughter (then 22) Soon-Yi Previn in 1992. Allen then filed a lawsuit to gain sole custody of adopted children Moses (born in 1978), Dylan (born in 1985) and biological son Satchel, and Farrow counteracted by launching a sex-abuse investigation against Allen concerning Dylan. Allen denied the charges, which were ultimately dropped, although the judge referred to Allen relationship with Previn as, whilst not illegal, “grossly inappropriate.”

The verdict: Farrow won sole custody of the children, whilst Allen was granted supervised visitation with Seamus. Allen went on to marry and raise two adopted children with Previn. He is estranged from son Moses as a result of the affair.